Growth Management
Meet the Comprehensive Planning Staff
Principal Planner - Inga Williams
I have been living in Florida and working for Charlotte County since March of 1999. I managed to purchase a home in the Punta Gorda area the same year that Hurricane Charley hit – the timing was poor but despite that early setback I love my home and the neighborhood I live in. I grew up in New York, first in Westchester County and then in Dutchess County. My undergraduate degree is from the State University of New York, School of Environmental Science and Forestry. I gained a dual degree in Forestry and Forest Biology. After graduation I went into the Peace Corps and served 3 years in Nepal in the Community Forestry program. When I returned to the States, I went to graduate school in Virginia. I joined the Urban Affairs and Planning Program at Virginia Tech. After graduating with my Masters I was hired by Mr. Elliot Kampert to join the, then named, Community Development Department and have been working as a planner in Charlotte County ever since. I started as a Planner II, was promoted to a Planner III, and now am the Department’s Principal Planner in charge of the Comprehensive Planning Section of the Community Development Department.
Concurrency Manager - Jim Fendrick
I first moved to Florida in 1988. I swore I would never leave, but I moved to Alaska as the assistant city manager of a city. I loved Alaska, but wanted to pursue education in ministry, so I moved to Portland, Oregon and attended seminary for six years. I then tried living in Wisconsin, my home state, for 2 years and finally moved back to sunny Florida. Professionally, I have a Masters in Public Administration, a Bachelors in Human Resource Management, and an Associates in Helicopter Aircraft Maintenance. I also have six years of additional Masters level work. I consider myself a Jim of all trades and have demonstrated that in Charlotte County, having served briefly as the manager of employee and labor relations, assistant director of a department and working in two other roles as well. Professionally, I gain the greatest satisfaction by improving Charlotte County government in whatever role I serve. Personally, I enjoy our community and state through camping and other outdoor activities.
Transportation Planner - Venkat Vattikuti
I am originally from INDIA and came to USA in March 1993. I have been living in Florida since March 1993 and started working for Charlotte County since June of 2009. My educational qualifications includes: Undergraduate Degree in Civil Engineering and Graduate Degree in Environmental Engineering from INDIA and another Graduate Degree in Civil Engineering with Transportation from University of South Florida. I was hired by Mr. Jeffrey Ruggieri to join the, then named, Growth Management Department and have been working here ever since. My current title is “Transportation Planner/Engineer”. I am bald and to protect my head, I usually carry two hats with me, one with a Planner logo and another with Engineer logo. Depending on the need, I try to wear the right hat for that occasion.
Administrative Assistant - Gayle Moore
I am a native of Washington, D.C. who moved to Port Charlotte in 1990. My business background has been in the music industry, law (intellectual property and civil law including land use) and technology. I came to work for Charlotte County’s (then-named) Community Development Department in the aftermath of Hurricane Charley, realizing that this would offer a unique opportunity to be involved in the rebuilding of my adopted home.
Administrative Assistant - Sandy Williamson
My husband, the dog, and I moved to Charlotte County in November of 1997 from Kokomo, Indiana. The move was an adventure in itself….we packed everything in to a big moving truck and pulled a car carrier behind truck. I was hired by Charlotte County in May 1998 in the Community Development Department/Code Compliance Division taking complaints from local residents. In July of 1999, I took over as Clerk to the Code Enforcement Board and Construction Industry Licensing Board and remained as the clerk for those Boards until May, 2010. After a number of Departmental reorganizations, the opportunity presented itself to return to the Growth Management Department/Planning Division.
Planner III - Jie Shao
I was born and raised in ChongQing, China. I received my bachelor’s degree from Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, ChongQing University in July of 1990. My parents grew up and live in Shanghai, China, and I am their only child. I thought that I would like to live close to them, so after graduation I became a university instructor and taught in the architecture field in SuZhou University of Science and Technology for more than four years. SuZhou is a very famous and beautiful ancient garden city and is very close to Shanghai. On December 25, 1994, I came to USA to reunite with my husband. I went to the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning in Cincinnati and joined the Community Planning program at University of Cincinnati. After graduating with my Master’s degree, I became a licensed real estate agent so I could stay home and take care of my lovely son and daughter. After my daughter went to the elementary school in fall of 2003, I started to look for a planning job. I was hired as a Planner and have been working in Charlotte County since January 2004.
Planner III - Matt Trepal
I moved to Charlotte County from Pennsylvania in December of 2006. I was born and grew up in Pittsburgh, and lived and worked in Morgantown, WV and Erie, PA before moving to Florida. I received a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master’s of Science in Geography, specializing in Urban and Regional Planning, from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I have been a land use planner for twelve years, working on a wide variety of issues such as affordable housing, farmland preservation, comprehensive planning at the county and municipal levels, the preparation of zoning, subdivision, and land development regulations, and socioecomic projections.
Planner II - Roxann Read
I began work for Charlotte County in December of 2006. I previously worked for Jefferson County, MO, as a planner and did an internship with the City of Collinsville, IL. I am originally from Wood River, IL, a suburb of St. Louis, MO, so I’m a die-hard St. Louis Cardinals fan. I worked from home as a medical transcriptionist for 20 years while raising my three children and then returned to school to earn a Bachelor of Arts in history and a Masters in Public Administration from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, IL. Because of a life long interest in history, I worked with Arcadia Publishing to create two pictorial histories, one of the Wood River area and one of Port Charlotte. I also volunteer with Charlotte County Special Olympics to support my son, who has autism. He will graduate from Charlotte High School in May of 2011.
Environmental Specialist - Bill Byle
I am a fourth generation 'native' of South Florida and grew up in Lee County. I received a dual degree in Biology and Education from the University of South Florida. For the next six years I was a science instructor and department chairman of 13 science teachers in Lee County. During this time, I completed many graduate environmental science, water quality and marine biology courses from 6 universities. In 1969, I founded and for 30 years managed the first environmental consulting business in Florida, which specialized in environmental, vegetation and wildlife assessments, environmental planning and permitting, native habitat restorations, environmental research, education and monitoring. I've worked for Charlotte County since 1998 as natural resources planning supervisor and environmental specialist with most of the time spent reviewing large scale development projects, special assignments, inter-departmental projects, land acquisition and represent the County on many regional committees.
